Chapter 24. Cornerstone of Understanding (9)
Dark brown or light black.
The coffee, which could be said to be anything, had a bitter taste.
I came to enjoy the taste later, but when I first drank coffee as a child, I didn’t like the bitter taste at all, which was different from the scent. If there is a sweet scent, it should taste sweet, and if there is a bitter scent, it should taste bitter. What is the point of such a savory scent but a sour and bitter taste?
– You’ve already done enough.
Ironically, Arsene also said something similar to Bern that day. I don’t know if the meaning was the same, but I heard those words again from Chase.
Calian laughed quietly because Chase’s words felt like coffee that was fragrant when smelled through the nose and bitter when held in the mouth.
“…… thank you.”
It’s not that I don’t know what Chase said that for. Because I knew, I answered calmly. Because I knew, I accepted Chase’s meaning without saying anything else.
Enough already.
These words are extremely grateful to hear.
Words that tear your heart to pieces the moment you put them in your heart.
How can it be enough?
No matter what, how, or how much was done, it ended only in tragedy. What a tragedy.
How can you say that is enough?
Calian took another sip of the coffee that the already forgotten person was enjoying alone. Then I turned my head and looked out the window. Calian, who was staring at the fountain rising and falling helplessly, opened his mouth while keeping his gaze fixed.
“Are you hungry by any chance?”
Now that I think about it, I didn’t even eat breakfast.
Therefore, the reason I feel so upset right now is not because of what I just heard, but because of the coffee I drank on an empty stomach. The reason short hair feels particularly empty is because it is empty inside.
I don’t know when I’ll be able to see Chase again, so let’s go get some food instead of acting like an uncharacteristically sentimental person. That’s what I thought.
Chase still laughed at the unexpected comment.
* * *
Lemain nodded calmly.
“Okay. I understand.”
It was directed at Plantz, who came suddenly without sending an attendant first and only got to the point in a very simple manner.
As expected, Lemain did not object to placing the knights within the royal family under the control of Planz.
“But…”
Lemain, who had just one thing he wanted to confirm, opened his mouth like this again. This was because it was thought that Marquis Evan Briesen would not have willingly given up the leadership of the two knights.
– Knock
But the sound of a knock on the office door stopped Lemain from speaking.
It had to be Chamberlain Raoul. The fact that he knocked on the door even though he knew he was talking to Plants probably meant that it was important. Therefore, Lemain gave Plantz a look telling him to wait for a moment and then let Raoul in.
There was a note in Raoul’s hand. This is because it was difficult news to convey in words in front of Plants.
After seeing what Raoul had said for a moment, Lemain turned his head and looked at Plantz.
“They say Calian walked into Rubia’s coffin. It’s not the right day to do that yet.”
There was so much contained in that voice and expression.
Lemain did his best to say it in a good way, but in Plantz’s eyes, it seemed like he was saying something like, ‘This damned youngest guy ran away again.’ Because of this, one corner of Planz’s mouth rose to an imperceptible degree.
I know that Kalian and Randel met in the morning as expected. I also saw Randel coming out of the rose garden and Calian standing alone in the garden.
So, if Calian went to see Chase, who had been acting like they would never meet again, there must have been a reason.
“It seemed like there was something blocking my swordsmanship.”
That’s why Plantz said:
I don’t know the reason for visiting, but it would be better for Lemain to think that the driver had some business rather than linking Calian to Chase.
I was thinking about what to say if someone wondered why I had bothered to visit today, but Lemain, who thought about Planz’s words for a while, showed an unexpected reaction. He nodded with a look that said yes.
“Okay. I guess I heard somewhere that you were leaving tomorrow.”
Because he had seen Slayman all the time, Lemain had a vague idea of the tendencies of knife-wielding guys.
After meeting and marrying Serie, Slayman became quite intelligent. Despite this, didn’t he take a knight from another country to the Balkan training ground just to spar with him? There’s no way they don’t know how important the Balkans are.
So, there was no great doubt that Calian went to see Teilan because he had problems with his swordsmanship. Of course, I thought it was worth it, but I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it.
“Why are you being so unruly? I guess I’ll have to give you a proper scolding this time.”
“The crown prince of Secretia decided to return tomorrow?”
Plantz pretended not to have heard Lemain’s words and asked. Lemain, who did not realize that he was trying to change the subject, nodded and answered.
“Yes. That’s what they said yesterday.”
However, Lemain looked a little embarrassed as he answered this. This was because he realized that this was the first time that Plantz had asked the question first.
There was an awkward silence in the office for a moment because Lemain was unable to say his next words right away. Lemain quickly recalled the original conversation and opened his mouth with a worried look on his face.
“Yes. What I was trying to say a little while ago is… There is no way that the Marquis of Briesen would have given it away so easily. I would like to know how he received it.”
An expression of surprise appeared on Planz’s face for just a moment and then disappeared. Lemain didn’t see it, but it was definitely a ‘surprise’. Because Lemain, who is like a cow with a lot of thoughts but no sense, pointed out something quite perceptive.
Plantz answered without hesitation.
“It is a seal of oath. It is not a contract worth worrying about.”
The fact was not hidden.
Rather than saying that he should not hide anything from his father, Lemain, it was meant to remind him that he still had a lot to reflect on. Although it seemed like I was already living my life reflecting on each day, when I saw it through Plantz’s eyes, it was still a long way off.
Lemain’s expression cooled at Plantz’s answer. He closed his hands for a moment and let out a long breath.
A contract of oath once made cannot be broken. Even so, I couldn’t blame my son for blindly risking his heart. This is because I knew that just as Calian, who had nothing to bet on, risked his life by drinking poisoned tea, Plantz made the same choice. It’s a situation where you have to put everything on the line to get something.
“Yes. All I have is my life, so I would have risked my life… It’s my fault.”
I thought about saying I was sorry, but I couldn’t say it again this time. It wasn’t because of my pride, I couldn’t say sorry because I felt sorry.
Plantz slightly closed his eyes and spoke softly.
“You can do it. Apologize.”
And Plantz answered:
The voice was so calm that Lemain was at a loss for words.
Plants has grown up before we know it. I’ve grown so much.
I remembered what Alan had said about how my granddaughter, who used to be around the waist, would have grown much more now.
Lemain couldn’t apologize because he couldn’t imagine what Planz was like when he was younger.
“Thank you.”
So I could only say this.
Plants suddenly realized that it was an apple.
* * *
At Secretia, the chef used to heat up the food.
It didn’t seem like that would happen here, but Calian and Chase didn’t feel any regrets about it. It was because there wasn’t enough conversation to get the food to cool down, and it was inevitable that there wasn’t much conversation.
Calian, who had been playing with his fork and knife in silence for a while, opened his mouth quietly.
“Congratulations in advance on your coronation ceremony.”
Chase’s hand paused for a moment. Calian continued without mentioning a single word about Devlan.
“I think it would be difficult for me to go and congratulate him in person.”
It was the place where the throne of a country was inherited.
Therefore, there were cases where royal families from other countries visited with congratulatory delegations. However, when Chase ascended the throne, the royal family did not come. There was no way Tensil would send the only crown prince to Secretia, and the same was true for Riverne.
And Kairis had two princes, but neither of them visited. In a situation where the crown prince’s position was not determined, there was no reason to take risks, no matter who it was.
It’s natural.
Chase’s behavior in coming here to celebrate Lemain’s birthday, which comes every year, is rather strange. It was amazing how they persuaded Devlan.
“I know. Thank you.”
Chase answered briefly.
Then he stayed still for a moment with his eyes focused on the food on his plate. Calian felt that and looked at Chase.
Chase’s words came a long time later.
“I know this place is changing a lot, and it will be even more so in the future.”
It was all happening at Calian’s fingertips.
Plantz was sitting with his legs crossed and just saying what he wanted to say, and Arsene was showing strong faith in Calian. LeMaine started working hard. And even Randel, who was standing among the roses swaying in the wind and staring at him.
Chase, who recalled each of their appearances, continued.
“I’m worried that I might end up getting hurt trying to understand everyone.”
Each and every one of those magicians from Balkan is the fire that burned Secretia. So even if it’s not Planz or Arsene.
In the end, everyone here is a knife to Bern.
I wonder how many wounds there will be from embracing them all.
How much it has added and how much it has festered. How much it hurts. It’s difficult to even estimate.
Calian was looking at Chase, who was speechless, with calm red eyes. After a while, he quietly opened his mouth.
“…… Hina.”
Hina.
I mentioned that name.
“Kirie’s younger sister’s name is Hina. Her ears used to be long, but she cut them off, and she can’t speak, but she scolds her in sign language. She likes birds and dogs. She also takes good care of cats, and is especially good at writing on their leashes. She eats ice cream well. And … I laugh a lot.”
And then he started talking nonsense like this.
Even that was a waste, so Chase listened intently so as not to miss a word.
“…I’m alive.”
Even though I knew it would be reckless and dangerous with my dying body, I went to see Kirie. Hina was with me.
It was alive.
That was the light for Kalian. It was salvation and hope. It was healing.
“So it’s okay.”
It’s not that it doesn’t hurt, it’s that it’s okay.
Chase let out a shallow sigh when he saw the red eyes that were no longer light purple or red.
Saying it’s okay doesn’t mean it’s okay.
It’s not that he’s really okay, it’s just that he’s holding on well looking at the ‘light’ he protected.
“Can I ask you one favor, Prince Calian?”
Calian nodded quietly.
“This time… if there is nothing left to protect, then I hope you can protect yourself. Is that too much to ask?”
This was something he said because he knew what kind of person Bern was.
Since all I have done is protect, I believe that there is no other way to do anything and no purpose in life other than protecting something. So, when there is nothing left to protect, the two feet that did not stop will lose their direction. I knew Bern was that kind of person.
This time red eyes stared into purple eyes. Calian opened his mouth with a face with much softer eyes than Bern’s.
“I don’t know if there will ever come a day when I no longer have anything to protect.”
Because I decided to keep alive a guy who said he wanted to live and was eating grass with no intention of living at all.
I need to know why a guy like that did such a thing, and to do that, I have to save the life of a guy who doesn’t know what’s inside and is always looking at roses. In this way, I have to protect all of my brothers, whether they were past or present.
“Actually, there is one thing I failed to tell Prince Chase.”
“What is.”
I guess there’s just one thing I couldn’t say, but anyway.
“I don’t like coffee. I think it smells like Reneeri, not like roasted beans.”
Calian, who had Chase’s eyes in his head, not knowing when he would see them again, said with a grin.
“Not Bern, who loved coffee, but Calian, who hates coffee, will walk just fine even if he has nothing to protect.”
You can hear the sound of the fountain’s water breaking and scattering.
At one point, Chase felt it was creepy, but now it feels incredibly refreshing. I realize that sunlight entangled in bouncing water droplets creates a rainbow.
Chase smiled at Calian, not Bern, with a lighter face.
“Next time I will treat you to something different. What does Prince Calian like?”
“Mint tea. So next time I see you, please give me mint tea.”
Don’t forget it again.
